Net Applications: XP still represents 66% of all Windows PCs

[Matthew DeCarlo]

Windows 7's one year anniversary is rapidly approaching, and despite being hailed as the quickest selling operating system, Windows XP remains number one in global usage. According to stats provided by Net Applications, XP holds 60.03% of the market, down slightly from last month's 60.89% and last year's 70.48%. Naturally, those numbers factor in rival platforms, but XP currently represents 66% of all Windows machines.

Vista's overall share slipped from 14% to 13.35% during the recent sequential period, which equates to 14.66% among Windows users -- much lower than its all-time high of 20.35%. Windows 7 gained about 1.25% on-month, moving from 15.85% to 17.10%, or 19% of all Windows systems. Microsoft's OS share as a whole has fallen by nearly 1% over the last nine months, but it's not clear what platform has benefited from Redmond's loss.

StatCounter, another research firm, puts XP at 53.99%, Vista at 16.59%, and Windows 7 supposedly holds 22.04% of the total market. That breaks down to 58%, 18%, and 24% of all Windows computers. ConveivablyTech notes that while the numbers may be different between outfits, the overall trend is similar: Windows 7 is chipping away at XP and Vista.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/40533-net-applications-xp-still-represents-66-of-all-windows-pcs.html

 

[TomSEA]

Would be interesting to see statistics based on home use vs. business use. My work still uses XP (1500+ machines) and probably will forever. Just too expensive to go through all the various software patching and upgrades to Windows 7.

But almost everyone I know has moved to Windows 7 at home.

 

[Guest]

You are 100% correct on that.

The only people stuck on XP are corporations which have valid reason to be so.

And grandma and grandpa who don't really need anything better, the rest of best buy shoppers who don't really upgrade computer they just use them until they die and buy a better one.

Whats left are Noobs and retards who actually still think XP is better than Windows 7 and refuse to upgrade because it to hard to change from something they are use to.

While the rest of us have adapted and are enjoying the benefits of a Windows 7 machine and understand that the computer industry changes all the time and if you don't keep up you get left behind.

 

[TJGeezer]

Guest said:
The only people stuck on XP are corporations which have valid reason to be so.
...snip...
Whats left are Noobs and retards who actually still think XP is better than Windows 7 and refuse to upgrade because it to hard to change from something they are use to.

While the rest of us have adapted and are enjoying the benefits of a Windows 7 machine and understand that the computer industry changes all the time and if you don't keep up you get left behind.

My wife uses an XP machine because "it's only the operating system, stupid," and XP does Gmail and browsing, MS Word, Quickbooks and TurboTax quite well. I showed her your comment and she snorted, "Left behind whom? Why should I care?"

Vista persuaded me to play with Linux again and now I go back and forth between Win7 and Mint or Debian depending on my mood. She regards this somewhat correctly as a hobby. I love that Microsoft got Win7 right and I enjoy the new OS itself, but without a contracting agency willing to pay for it, I'd still be in XP myself, or more likely Linux, using Thunderbird, Google Docs or OpenOffice, and so forth. With the Linux version of Unzbin now working so reliably, my last non-work-related reason to stay with Windows has disappeared.

As my wife said - left behind whom, and why should I care?

 

[matrix86]

Indeed. A lot of home users could care less if they are benig left behind. If XP works the way you like it, use it. You're not stupid for not upgrading. Yes Win7 may have better features and things may be easier to use and find...but why spend the money to upgrade when what you have works?

We live in a society that just loves to spend money, and that thinks if you aren't up to date, that something is wrong with you. There is absolutely nothing wrong with still using XP. I myself prefer Win7 over XP by a long shot, and I recomend it when I can...but if someone wants to stay with what they know, then let them. It's not hurting anyone. If all most people do any is email, watch movies, listen to music, and browse the web, does it really matter what operating system you're using? No. One may run faster than the other...but if what you're using works fine, why waste the money on an upgrade?

 

[Tha General]

Well XP is way faster over Windows 7 imo. Which is why i still use it

 

[Per Hansson]

Guest said:
Whats left are Noobs and retards who actually still think XP is better than Windows 7 and refuse to upgrade because it to hard to change from something they are use to.

I find it amusing that people need to resort to name calling to proove their point.
Really, retards? Ok, guess I'm a retard then because I prefer XP x64 at home and Win7 x64 at work. So I'm totally opposite to what everyone else in this thread so far said.
Infact I prefer Windows 2000 over XP, but sadly I've had to move to a 64bit platform because too many games and apps where hitting the virtual address space limit of the 32bit OS.

 

[ET3D]

I agree, you're just eccentric.

 

[T77]

just upgraded to win7 HP two days ago.i got really bored of xp because i have been using it for atleast the past five years,couldn't upgrade to vista because of negative feedback.
win7 is reasonably fast as compared to xp.

 

[Burty117]

I can definately see why people and company's stay with Windows XP, its tried and tested in everyway. Although I'm oe of those who is with Per in that I prefer Windows 2000 over XP but doe to support and app support for 2000, I had to upgrade to XP like everyone else.

The Problem I have found is that Microsoft is doing the same for XP, more or less all there new software bar Office 2010 seems to not have an XP version or is not supported. I would give XP 5 years max now before we're all forced to move to XP.

and yes, I do use Windows 7 Ultimate X64 at home and windows 7 Enterprise X86 for work, and you wouldn't believe how much I use the "XP Mode" Virtual machine on a daily basis

 

[Vicenarian]

Believe it or not, I run an IT consulting business, and my main business/home machine is still Windows XP MCE.

Sure, I could dish out $180 for Windows 7, but then I would have the hassle of reinstalling all of my applications (some of which can't be transferred to another OS/PC due to licensing, application compatibility, etc.), and the hassle of getting all my other configuration/settings back to normal again.

I mean, sure, a person can buy the latest quad core i5, i7...but do people really NEED these machines? What's the big deal about waiting another half-second for firefox to load on a slower system? What's the big deal of waiting another 5 seconds to boot on a slower system? For most people, it's just an issue with keeping up with the Joneses.

As a user above wisely quoted,
"We live in a society that just loves to spend money, and that thinks if you aren't up to date, that something is wrong with you."
So true...unfortunately, so true.

Of course, I will eventually upgrade to Windows 7...but there's nothing wrong with XP for those that wish to stick with it for a little while.

 

[Guest]

XP is a malware magnet. Time to upgrade.

 

[Guest]

That's exactly what Microsoft wants you to think.

 

[Guest]

@Guest on October 6, 2010 9:19 AM "XP is a malware magnet. Time to upgrade."

Do you get your paycheck from Microsoft for saying that?

XP is not a malware magnet. On one of my older computers, I have been running Windows XP for the past 7 years and not one piece of malware has infected it.

 

[Zilpha]

You are 100% correct on that.

The only people stuck on XP are corporations which have valid reason to be so.

And grandma and grandpa who don't really need anything better, the rest of best buy shoppers who don't really upgrade computer they just use them until they die and buy a better one.

Whats left are Noobs and retards who actually still think XP is better than Windows 7 and refuse to upgrade because it to hard to change from something they are use to.

While the rest of us have adapted and are enjoying the benefits of a Windows 7 machine and understand that the computer industry changes all the time and if you don't keep up you get left behind.

I'll agree that a lot of the people still on XP are corporations, but they aren't getting left behind nor are they noobs and retards. Why fix what isn't broken? Eventually they might have to upgrade when Microsoft drops support, but for now all of our clients are quite happy getting their day to day business done without hassle.

For a lot of applications, XP still is the OS of choice - so much so that Microsoft made available a virtual machine to run those apps that absolutely will not run in 7. There are still very valid reasons for sticking with XP, not the least of which is cost effectiveness. When it is no longer cost-effective to maintain a Windows XP infrastructure, people will move on. Until then, I guess we will all just have to accept that you are a superior being that we should all worship.

Whoever you are....

 

[DelJo63]

When the weather is not oppressive, car buffs keep vintage cars for ages and have the thrill of watching you smile as they drive by.

For political reasons, Cuba STILL (and only) has cars from the '50s.

Not everyone on the planet needs (or wants) an iPhone when their existing cell phone is working for their needs.

There's a lot to say for "If it ain't broke, don't fix it".

 

[TomSEA]

"I mean, sure, a person can buy the latest quad core i5, i7...but do people really NEED these machines?"

Well....if you're a hard-core gamer.

 

[Burty117]

I also would like to add I completely agree that we live in a place were your seen as "stupid" if you don't keep up with the times example in my experience below:-

Orange call me up and say they can upgrade me (after being on a Nokia N85 over a year) to an iPhone 3GS for free! I said great! Phone turned up and went to work and everyone was like "your part of the crowd now".

3 months later the new iPhone 4 comes out, now everyone comments at least twice a week "wheres the new iPhone? why don't you upgrade?"

BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO! iPhone 3GS works perfectly fine for what I want it for thank you

I simply don't understand why anyone would always need the latest phone, the moment you have found one you like why not keep it for longer than 3 months? plus its annoying transfering your pictures etc...

 

[Lokalaskurar]

vicenarian said:
Believe it or not, I run an IT consulting business, and my main business/home machine is still Windows XP MCE.

Sure, I could dish out $180 for Windows 7, but then I would have the hassle of reinstalling all of my applications (some of which can't be transferred to another OS/PC due to licensing, application compatibility, etc.), and the hassle of getting all my other configuration/settings back to normal again.

I mean, sure, a person can buy the latest quad core i5, i7...but do people really NEED these machines? What's the big deal about waiting another half-second for firefox to load on a slower system? What's the big deal of waiting another 5 seconds to boot on a slower system? For most people, it's just an issue with keeping up with the Joneses.

As a user above wisely quoted,
"We live in a society that just loves to spend money, and that thinks if you aren't up to date, that something is wrong with you."
So true...unfortunately, so true.

Of course, I will eventually upgrade to Windows 7...but there's nothing wrong with XP for those that wish to stick with it for a little while.

Ha, guess I'm in the same boat as you then.

There is really no need for my IT-firm to put down $500 for another Windows 7 license (actual price downtown). The fastest machine around is very well up to the job, and uses Win XP MCE, as well.

Win XP MCE allows fine-tuning of the OS in such a way which Win 7 Home doesn't (frankly, the model we're currently using for customer-visits uses Win 7 Home, because the customers' PC's do too). And is way more backward-compatible with more or less anything.

The firm even said no to Ubuntu 10, because XP pleased us that much.

And the only way to make a Win 7 machine as fast as a finely tuned XP's is to upgrade the hardware... sometimes significantly (i5 and i7 #cough#)

 

[red1776]

Well XP is way faster over Windows 7 imo. Which is why i still use it

The "noob or retard" comment is ridiculous, and if you like XP still, great, however,

Faster isn't an opinion there general, it is ..or it isn't....and XP being faster than 7 is a fallacy.

 

[Archean]

An average user (who uses computer for light work + email + web surfing etc.) is pretty much happy with XP, and will remain so for foreseeable future, jo correctly concluded that 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it' ......... my simple approach in this regard has been 'a PC should die with the OS you bought with it' hence ...... as long a PC with XP is working for years it isn't logical for an average user to jump the bandwagon of Win7.

If you consider the underlying reasoning for this, don't you think an old PC running XP would struggle with newer OS any way?

So, for some more years I think XP will remain higher in this list. Regards

 

[nismo91]

i don't think it's worth to spend more money to upgrade from XP to 7 if your machine are quite dated. Of course for a new build or even new netbook, i significantly prefer 7 than xp.

 

[Guest]

Small to mid-size businesses on tight budgets are more willing to keep older machines running Windows XP than going into the red buying new computers running Windows 7.

 

[g4mer]

XP IS WAAAY faster than Windows 7! At least on my PC. I ran all kinds of games and benchmarks so im sure about that. Have dual boot.

 

[red1776]

XP IS WAAAY faster than Windows 7! At least on my PC. I ran all kinds of games and benchmarks so im sure about that. Have dual boot.

Then you have a unique, anecdotal, and possibly poorly maintained machine, because countless times, XP vs 7 benches have been run in controlled environments and parameters, and XP is not faster than 7. I build gaming machines for a living and spend a condiderable amount of time answering, and demonstrating that misconception to be false.